Csilla Farkas

Seniorforsker

(+47) 948 14 727
csilla.farkas@nibio.no

Sted
Ås - Bygg O43

Besøksadresse
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås (Varelevering: Elizabeth Stephansens vei 21)

Til dokument

Sammendrag

This paper presents a social benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of Precision Agriculture (PA)and Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEF) for reducing nitrate pollution in the Zelivka catchment, the drinking-water source for 1.5 million people in Prague and surrounding regions. The analysis combines field-level data (50,309 ha, 729 farms), meta-analytical biophysical parameters, a dynamic heterogeneous-agent adoption model, and cross-validation against an independent SWAT+ hydrological simulation. Technology adoption generates a mean Net Present Value of EUR 291 million (95% CI: EUR 94 775 million) over fifty years, with a deterministic benefit-cost ratio of 19.8. Even with health benefits set to zero, the NPV remains positive at EUR 44 million, indicating that private benefits alone cover adoption costs. BCA and the SWAT+ approaches imply comparable rates of reservoir-concentration decline (≈0.15 mg/L/yr in SWAT+ over its lag-free window versus a ≈0.13 mg/L/yr peak in the BCA once the lag has elapsed). At-source nitrogen prevention via agricultural technology adoption offers a cost-effective complement to structural catchment measures and end-of-pipe water treatment.

Sammendrag

Small retention ponds are increasingly recognised as effective nature-based solutions for managing hydrological extremes in Norway’s agricultural catchments. Typically located in upper catchment areas or at the forest–agriculture interface, these ponds temporarily store runoff during intense rainfall events and snowmelt. In addition to flood mitigation, they provide important co-benefits by reducing soil erosion and sediment transport and by protecting agricultural drainage systems from erosion and overflow during extreme events, thereby supporting long-term soil productivity. Although individual storage volumes are limited, their cumulative impact at the catchment scale can be substantial when retention ponds are strategically distributed across the landscape. This study investigates the potential effects of small retention ponds using process-based hydrological modelling with SWAT+ to support catchment-scale climate adaptation planning in a Norwegian agricultural catchment. SWAT+ enables an improved representation of hydrological connectivity between managed landscapes and the stream network through its flexible spatial structure and rule-based management algorithms. The model is calibrated using a constraint-based approach that integrates both soft and hard data to represent streamflow and sediment dynamics in the Lierelva catchment. Multiple retention ponds are implemented to assess their cumulative effects on streamflow and sediment transport. Finally, the study discusses key challenges associated with modelling catchment–NBS interactions using SWAT+.

mpa_final_cropped_for_oap

Divisjon for miljø og naturressurser

Riverine Inputs and Direct Discharges - RID


The Comprehensive Riverine Inputs and Direct Discharges (RID) programme aims to monitor and assess all inputs and discharges of selected contaminants to the OSPAR maritime area and its regions that are carried via rivers into tidal waters, or are discharged directly into the sea, for example through sewage pipelines or activities like aquaculture inputting substances directly.

Active Updated: 01.02.2026
End: mai 2029
Start: juli 2019
Raskant langs elv

Divisjon for miljø og naturressurser

Kråkstadelva: Tiltak mot flom og erosjon


Kråkstadelva er et jordbruksvassdrag som har utfordringer med flom, oversvømmelser og erosjon i elvekantene. Utfordringene skyldes dels klimaendringer med økt og mer intens nedbør, dels ulike menneskelige inngrep i nedbørfeltet. I dette prosjektet vil vi ha søkelys på hvilke tiltak som kan iverksettes oppstrøms i nedbørfeltet for å redusere problemer med kanterosjon og oversvømmelser nedstrøms. 

Active Updated: 16.09.2026
End: apr 2028
Start: mai 2026